East Asian History - #15

[abe-no-seimei.livejournal.com]

East Asian History
Tuesday 6:00-8:00 pm

Seimei gestured to the discussion question scrolled out on the board and tapped at it with his hand. “This one is a particularly difficult one today. The answer may be found cached in your search.”

Discuss the Chosun dynasty government’s vacant island policy for Ullungdo and Tokdo.

ooc: Yes. This question is rather obscure.

Comments

[addams-daughter.livejournal.com]

"From what I recall from the reading, the islands were evacuated by King T'aejong to protect the islanders from repeated raids by Japanese pirates." Wednesday was looking through her notes. "Not that it worked very well. People kept moving back because the fishing was so good. They were in constant dispute between Japan and Korea, and I'm not certain it was ever really settled to anyone's satisifaction as to who, exactly, they belonged to."

[abe-no-seimei.livejournal.com]

"Do you think this might have been a contributing factor to the continuous friction between Japan and Korea?"

[http://users.livejournal.com/_jubilation_lee/]

*groans and pulls hair*

Well, Japanese pirates, waegu, kept raiding the islands, so Taejong evacuated the islanders to the mainland. But the books says they weren't really abandoned. It looks like tht islands are sort of in disputed seas between Japan and Korea.

[addams-daughter.livejournal.com]

"Almost certainly." Wednesday looked up from her notes, "Not that they really needed any further excuse for friction. I'm not certain of my notes here, but I can't seem to recall any point in history where they got along."